The Reading of Minds
by inu-luvver10
Summary: A short little one shot full of fluff. Karin goes out for a little soccer training and ends up running into everyone's favorite tenth squad captain. Fluff ensues


I don't own anything... It's Tite Kubo's train wreck...

This story will only be a one shot... For some reason *cough*ADHD*cough* I have a hear time keeping a train of thought long enough to do a longer story... Anyway this story takes off a few years after everything had happened with Aizen, so they have become good friends since then.

I hope you all enjoy this little plot bunny though!

Karin stared out the window of her bedroom sullenly. He brother had run off again, still refusing to tell her the truth, saying that she was just imagining things.

She wasn't stupid! She had seen her brother standing there in those weird black robes and the huge katana! She fully intended to fully interrogate her brother when he returned, and damnit she wasn't going to let him go until she got some answers.

Huffing in annoyance, she threw her legs over the edge of her bed and stalked over to her closet, 'Maybe I'll go play some soccer... I need to relax.'

She grabbed her shorts and jersey, yanking them on unnecessarily rough. Throwing her ball bag over her shoulder, she jogged down the stairs,

"You headed to the field?" Yuzu called from the kitchen.

"Yeah, I just need to chill for awhile. When will dinner be ready?" Karin replied, pausing at the front door.

"Well Dad said he wouldn't be home for a couple of hours so you should be fine if you're back by 8."

"Alright, thanks Yuzu." and with that she left the clinic.

The fifteen minute walk to the fields was calming in itself, her feet automatically taking her through the residential jungle to her favorite spot while her mind wandered to more pleasant times.

Karin paused at a particular spot, leaning lightly against the guard rail, staring out over the city. The sun was already going down and a chilly fall breeze was blowing, prompting an involuntary shiver to race down her arms. Scowling, she started on rubbing her arms as she went.

Toshirou was spacing out. Everything in the Seireitei was slowing down now that Aizen's threat was neutralized, and things had gone back to the same old boring burocratic bull. He hadn't become a soul reaper because he wanted to spend endless hours doing paperwork (though he did it diligently). He became a soul reaper to protect the ones he loved, but he hadn't even been able to do that very well. His mood became even more gloomy as he thought about Momo and the terrible things he'd put her through.

Matsumoto had insisted that he needed a break to help him relax. so here he was sitting at the edge of the old soccer fields, contemplating his sins against his would-be sister.

A quiet gasp broke him from his trance, instantly spinning in his seat to see who had found him.

Karin was standing at the edge on the field, eyes wide at having come around the edge of the bleachers to find Toshirou lounging there with a sour look marring his handsome face. She hadn't seen him in eight months, since they had visited Haru-baa-chan together.

Toshirou smiled a little, happy that fate had decided to bring the two of them together again.

"Hey you," he called.

A grin spread across Karin's face as she realized that he was actually here. She had been hoping to see him again, but his visits were so sporadic that nothing was guaranteed.

Pulling a ball out of her bag, Karin drop kicked to to her friend, "I hope you haven't gotten rusty in your absence."

He smirked at her, "As if you could ever beat me. Who was it that scored all those goals against the high schoolers?"

"yeah yeah, don't brag... Let's see how crappy you are now." She called over her shoulder as she sprinted onto the field.

Toshirou dropped the ball to the ground and took off after her, his earlier worries forgotten in lo of his friend.

The pair collapsed on the field, panting and exhausted. Toshirou hadn't had that much fin in a long time. He'd been able to forget about all of the bad things that had happened of late and just focus on the moment. It had felt good, scrimmaging with the competitive girl.

He glanced over at her laying flat on her back next to the goal. She wasn't the little girl he'd first me anymore. She had grown up. Her once flat chest had filled out enough that the sports bra could no longer hide her bosom. Her face had changed too, becoming more refined. He thought she was beautiful. Not in the soft and demure way her sister had, no, her beauty was not just bodily, it came from within.

He turned away quickly, blushing furiously at the turn his thought had taken. He was a Captain of Squad Ten, he couldn't go soft just for a girl, much less a human girl. He was over 80 years old, and she was barely 16. They just couldn't work. He only got to come to the World of the Living once or twice a year and he was usually working while he was here. Besides she probably had a boyfriend here. There was really no place for him in her life except as a friend.

His musings were cut off as his field of vision was suddenly obscured by brown eyes and ebony hair, "Whatcha thinking about?"

Toshirou blushed even harder, "Why do you wanna know?"

"Well now you're blushing and I have to know!" she grinned.

Toshirou huffed in annoyance and tried to roll away, not wanting the feisty girl to know his inner musing at that particular moment, but she stopped him, placing both her hands on his shoulders, effectively pinning him to the grass.

Grinning mischievously down at him she said, "Oh no, you're not getting away that easily!"

Toshirou was looking anywhere but at her, trying not to think about the fact that he desperately wanted to kiss her, "It's nothing important." He lied.

"Then why won't you look at me?" She pointedly asked.

Unwittingly, Toshirou's eyes snapped back to hers, staring at her face that was mere inches away from his. As thoughts of kissing her flew through his mind, his eyes flicked from her eyes to her lips and back again. Now it was her turn to blush as she realized the path his thoughts had been on.

"Oh." was all she could say, releasing his shoulders and sitting up on the grass next to him.

He sat up too, feeling utterly foolish, embarrassed beyond belief. How could he face her now? Everything would be so awkward now.

"Oh shit!" she cried, staring at her watch, " I was supposed to be home half an hour ago!"

Toshirou glanced around, noticing that darkness had fallen, the field now lit by street lights, "Sorry I kept you."

She smiled, "It's no problem, I usually get caught up in training and lose track of time."

Karin hopped up and jogged over to the bleachers to collect her things and head for home, leaving Toshirou inwardly cursing himself for his stupidity on the field.

"Hey," She called out as she put the last of her things in her bag, "You wanna come to my place for dinner?"

Shocked at her invitation, all he could manage was, "Yeah..."

He hadn't expected her to want him around after his earlier actions. He thought he'd made her terribly uncomfortable when she realized he'd wanted to kiss her. But she seemed not to mind at all, still wanting his company enough to invite him over for dinner.

"Well come on then!" she called as she started off on the way back to the clinic.

He jogged to catch up to her, walking a pace behind, his mind trying to untangle his jumbled thoughts. He was so lost in thought that he almost bumped into her when she paused in her trek up the hill.

Glancing around quickly, he realized that she had stopped at the spot she'd found him leaning on the guard rail that day. He looked back at her as she gazed fondly over the city spread out below her, a happy smile playing at her lips.

"You know I stop here every time I walk by." She said still looking out over the twinkling lights below her, "It always reminds me of you."

Toshirou eyes widened slightly in shock at her words, staring at her as she turned her gaze on him.

Her eyes were filled with warmth as she smiled at him, "I always stop and hope that you'll come back someday."

He couldn't believe what he was hearing. She had feelings for him too, or at least it seemed so. Why else would she be looking at him like that? His mind raced through all of the possibilities, what else it could mean, why was she telling him this, did she know the havoc she was spawning within him?

Making up her mind, Karin said, "Welcome back." and closed the distance between them, softly placing her lips on his.

Toshirou's mind went blank.

Well ther it is folks! I hope you all like the pointless bit of fluff.

I may do a short series of one shots following this story depending on how much people like this one so make sure you review so I know if I should start working on more!


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